02 Aug An End of an Era

Just as quickly as the Klondike Gold Rush was over, so too was my internship. The time seemed to fly by far too quickly for my liking, and soon I had to say goodbye to all the amazing friends I had made in Skagway.

This summer has been truly memorable, and I am proud of the work I did while at my park. I got to spend most of my time at the visitor center, helping visitors with all of their needs and telling them the story of those brave stampeders who left their families and homes for a dream of a better life.

I got to spend a blissful day with the archaeology department, where I was very tempted to become an archaeologist, before I remembered that not every dig would be as cool and sunny, nor in such a nice location, as digging in Dyea beside the river.

I enjoyed another day with the natural resources department, where I got to conduct my first official wetlands bird survey. I learned that a person’s arms could actually get tired from holding up binoculars, as well as the fact that wandering tattlers have the cutest little dance when they walked.

I got to spend one last day with the archives department and learned about the methods of paper conservation. Playing with a false map and “repairing” it was a lot of fun.

Lastly, thanks to my wonderful coworker, I finally got to explore the White Pass and made my way all the way to Canada. While we didn’t go all the way to Whitehorse, it was still one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever been on. I was lucky enough to see a bear cub, some young foxes, and a porcupine’s little waddle.

I will never forget my summer here, and hope to one day return in the future to enjoy the scenery once more.